Stevia plant named ‘SW 107’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Stevia rebaudiana  plant named ‘SW 107’ is described. The new variety is distinguished from other  Stevia  varieties by high productivity, including superior plant vigor and excellent overwintering capability; very sweet leaf taste with low bitterness and aftertaste and high rebaudioside A content.

Genus and species: Stevia rebaudiana.

Variety denomination: ‘SW 107’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stevia rebaudiana is a plant species in the sunflower (Asteraceae)family, which has naturally sweet leaves. The active compounds thatimpart the sweet flavor to stevia leaves are steviol glycosides. Themost common steviol glycosides are stevioside and rebaudioside A, bothof which have up to 250 to 400 times the sweetness of sugar. Steviosidetends to be more prevalent in unimproved lines of stevia leaves thanrebaudioside A. The development of new varieties of Stevia rebaudianawith higher levels of rebaudioside A than stevioside is desirable foruse as a sugar substitute.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Steviarebaudiana, the ‘SW 107’ line, which has a much higher concentration ofrebaudioside A than stevioside as well as high plant vigor, excellentoverwintering, high plant productivity, late flowering (an advantage forleaf production), and very sweet leaves with low bitterness andaftertaste.

The ‘SW 107’ line was derived in 2012 from a single plant in apopulation of recurrently selected Stevia rebaudiana, the population ofwhich was originally grown from seed in a field in Chowchilla, Calif.,USA. The parentage of the ‘SW 107’ line is not known and population fromwhich the ‘SW 107’ line was derived has no patented parental lineage.The plant that produced the ‘SW 107’ line was selected from itspopulation based upon the following characteristics, which were measuredand/or observed between 2012 and 2014.

Plant Vigor: the ‘SW 107’ line had greater growth, superioroverwintering, and later flowering in comparison to the majority of theplant population from which the line was derived.

Leaf Taste: The leaves of the ‘SW 107’ line were found to have a strongsweet taste in comparison to a majority of the plant population fromwhich the line was derived and distinctly less bitterness andaftertaste.

Steviol glycoside content: Initial analysis of rebaudioside A in the ‘SW107’ line was found to be approximately 60% above the generalizedrebaudioside A content of the plant population from which the line wasderived.

Upon initial selection, the ‘SW 107’ line was asexually reproduced fromrooted cuttings in May 2012. Plant yield and leaf quality of the ‘SW107’ line were confirmed in April through October 2014 throughreplicated yield trials in the following four locations: Yuma Ariz.;Hanford Calif.; Indio Calif.; and Ontario Oreg. At each of the fourlocations, the performance of the ‘SW 107’ line grown from cuttings wascompared to seedlings of the ‘Candy’ line (Genesis Seed Ltd., Ashalin,Israel; unpatented) grown from bulk commercial seed (“the checkvariety”). The following table compares various characteristics of the‘SW 107’ line with the check variety.

TABLE 1 SW 107 Check Variety Percentage of Rebaudioside A 10.39%  6.85%Percentage of Stevioside  4.76%  6.42% Percentage of total Steviol16.89% 14.71% Glycosides Ratio of Rebaudioside  2.33  1.11 A:SteviosidePercentage of Rebaudioside A to 61.8% 46.8% total Steviol Glycosides

The data in the foregoing table shows that in comparison to the checkvariety, the ‘SW 107’ line contained more rebaudioside A (10.39% vs.6.85%); less stevioside (4.76% vs. 6.42%); more total steviol glycosides(16.89% vs. 14.71%); a higher rebaudioside A to stevioside ratio (2.33vs. 1.11); and a higher percentage of rebaudioside A to total steviolglycosides (61.8 vs. 46.8%). In addition to the foregoing, the ‘SW 107’line also produced 40% more leaf yield than the check variety (4,511 lbof leaf per acre per year vs 3,216 lb of leaf per acre per year) basedon yield results averaged over four locations and two harvest strategies(one or two cuttings per year). The higher yield of the ‘SW 107’ linewas due in part to prolific branching from the plant base and low standloss from Fusarium and other root diseases that reduced plant stand ofthe check variety.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new ‘SW 107’ line have beenrepeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish the ‘SW 107’ line asa new and distinct cultivar of a Stevia plant:

-   -   1. High plant vigor;    -   2. Excellent overwintering;    -   3. High plant productivity;    -   4. Late flowering;    -   5. Intense sweet flavor to the leaves with low bitterness and        aftertaste;    -   6. Rebaudioside A content of 10.4%;    -   7. Stevioside content of 4.8%;    -   8. Total Steviol Glycoside content of 16.9%;    -   9. 62% Rebaudioside to total Glycoside Steviol; and    -   10. Over 4500 lb. of leaf per acre per year.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as is possible incolor illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of the ‘SW 107’ line. The plants depicted in theaccompanying photographs are approximately one year old.

FIG. 1 depicts a color photograph of a fully mature ‘SW 107’ Steviaplant from roots to top of the plant near the end of the plant's firstgrowing season.

FIG. 2 depicts a color photograph of ‘SW 107’ leaves.

FIG. 3 depicts a color photograph of an ‘SW 107’ leaf, including theshape and dimensions.

FIG. 4 depicts a color photograph of the branches, without leaves, of an‘SW 107’ Stevia plant.

FIG. 5 depicts a color photograph of the flowers of an ‘SW 107’ Steviaplant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of a Stevia plant known as ‘SW 107.’ Plant observations weremade on Aug. 21, 2014, on mature one year old plants grown in a field inOntario, Oreg., USA in natural light. The ‘SW 107’ line has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. Wherecharacteristics, such as dimensions, sizes, colors, and other suchcharacteristics are given, it is to be understood that suchcharacteristics are approximations or averages and that suchapproximations are not intended to be limiting. It is also to beunderstood that the phenotype of the variety may be altered by changeswith environment, such as season, temperature, light quality, lightintensity, day length, cultural conditions, and the like. Colornotations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, 2007.

-   Botanical classification: Stevia rebaudiana cultivar ‘SW 107’.-   Parentage: Seeds (unpatented) of Clinton C. Shock and stevia plants    (unpatented) grown from the seeds in Chowchilla, Calif.-   Plant (description based on FIG. 1):    -   -   Type.—Perennial in climates with mild winter temperatures.        -   Form and habit.—Multiple branching bush; after initial            growth, the number of principle stems on the plant            proliferate.        -   Height (from top of soil).—44.5 cm to 1 m.        -   Width (including flowers).—40.5 cm to 1 m.        -   Harvest cycle.—Summer and fall or fall.-   Leaves (description based on FIGS. 2 and 3):    -   -   Length.—4.0 cm-7.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.5 cm-4.5 cm.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex descriptor.—Acute.        -   Base descriptor.—Cuneate.        -   Margin descriptor.—Serrate.        -   Color, mature foliage.—Upper surface. RHS137C. Lower            surface. RHS137C.        -   Color, veins.—RHS 139C.        -   Texture, mature foliage.—Upper surface. Slight pubescence.            Lower surface. Moderate pubescence.        -   Petiole length.—2 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—0.02 cm.        -   Petiole texture.—Upper surface: Slight pubescence. Lower            surface: Slight pubescence.        -   Pubescence color.—Upper surface. RHS 139C. Lower surface.            RHS 139C.        -   Stevioside content.—4.76%.        -   Rebaudioside A content.—10.39%.        -   Rebaudioside A as a percentage of total steviol            glycosides.—61.80%.        -   Ratio of rebaudioside A to stevioside.—2.33.        -   Total steviol glycosides.—16.89%.        -   Leaf harvest period.—Summer plus fall or fall at the            locations tested.-   Stem (description based on FIG. 4):    -   -   Length (excluding inflorescence).—Varying to 1 m.        -   Diameter.—Varying to 1 m.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS 145B.-   Flowers (description based on FIG. 5):    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle.        -   Petal color.—RHS N155D.        -   Petal length.—0.6 cm.        -   Petal width.—0.1 cm.        -   Bloom period.—October to November at Ontario, Oreg.        -   Arrangement.—Composite.        -   Shape.—Cluster.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Number of flowers per capitulum.—5.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Color.—RHS 145B.        -   Diameter.—0.15 cm.        -   Aspect.—Perpendicular.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Pedicles:    -   -   Color.—RHS 145B.        -   Diameter.—0.03 cm.        -   Aspect.—45 degrees.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Arrangement.—Radially Symmetrical.        -   Shape.—Tubular.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—0.7 cm.        -   Width.—0.15 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Overlapping.        -   Color.—RHS 145B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamen quantity. 5. Stamen length. 3 mm. Stamen            width. 0.5 mm. Stamen color. RD N999D. Anther length. 4 mm.            Anther color. RHS 199A. Pollen amount. Medium pollen. Pollen            color. RHS 4D.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil length. 8 mm. Ovary length. 9 mm. Ovary            width. Bipartite stigma of 4 mm. Ovary color. RD N999D.            Style color. RHS N155B. Stigma color. RHS N155B.-   Fruit and seed set:    -   -   Flowering.—October to November, which is later than most            stevia lines, which flower from mid-to-late September as day            lengths shorten to 12 hours.        -   Seeds.—Small black (RHS 200C) achene with pappus attached            typical of Stevia rebaudiana. Seed length. 3 mm. Seed            diameter. 0.5 mm. Seed texture. Soft seed coat with ribbed            texture.-   Cold hardiness: Hardy to 23° F. (−5° C.) at Ontario, Oreg.-   Heat tolerance: Hardy to a monthly average maximum temperature of    107° F. (42° C.) at Yuma, Ariz., and Indio, Calif.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Stevia plant named ‘SW 107’as substantially shown and described herein.